


The Simplicity of Fantasy

by Riley_Silver



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alchemy Professor!Malfoy, Auror Harry, DADA Professor!Harry, Drarry, M/M, McGonagall knows all, Minster for Magic!Hermione, The Boys Go To Therapy, eventual teacher!AU, ex-enemies to friends to lovers, slowburn, teacher!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:14:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26526559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riley_Silver/pseuds/Riley_Silver
Summary: Romance, drama, and a shared past that threatens to unravel all they worked to achieve.With the war behind them, everyone has tried to move on with their life. For some, it's been proving difficult when you're the centre of every slander the media can think of.Harry has a career change.Draco learns to let go.Two lonely souls find warms in the simplicity of fantasy.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

“Potter!”

Harry looked up to see the Head of the Auror Office knocking on the edge of his desk with a heavy-looking linen envelope in his hands.

“Assignment for you.” Robards handed over the envelope with a bemused look, watching as Harry noticed the several departmental stamps depicting a story of a case that has been pushed from one desk to another, which usually indicated that this case was either nigh impossible to solve or no one wanted to take it for some reason.

The ‘some reason’ became pretty clear as he pulled out the first sheet

_Incident Report AVXII_3758728_

_Location: Malfoy Manor_

Harry looked back up at Robards, jabbing a finger at the collection of stamps on the front. “This seems like a case for almost literally any other department than ours”. He could hazard a guess as to why no one wanted to take responsibility for the case; even though the Battle of Hogwarts happened over 5 years ago, the Malfoy’s were pretty much recluse now since the media took to the papers to slander them after Lucius Malfoy was sent to Azkaban for life.

“Yes, well it seems that the case is quite complex, there are complaints both against the Malfoys and from them against others, so it got pushed around until Granger stepped in and recommended you be put on it.” Robards crossed his arms and lent against the wall near his desk.

Gawaine Robards was a pretty no nonsense man. He rose to Head Auror after Scrimgeour was made Minister, and was one of the biggest supporters from top Ministry officials to advocate for Hermione’s position as Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He was a surly bloke, tall and broad but surprisingly soft spoken even if he was a little gruff.

“Anyway” Robards continued, sensing Harry’s bewilderment. “We figured that of all the people here, you’d be able to handle the case professionally without any personal disagreements with the Malfoy’s history. I just want this case closed and off my desk yeah?” he clapped a hand onto Harry’s shoulder and nodded a farewell as Harry filed his current paperwork away and whispered a quick spell to warm up the coffee he had left in his mug.

He separated the piles of incident reports into two piles; complaints made by the Malfoy’s and complaints against them. There were far less complaints made by the Malfoy’s even if the incidents were worse than the ones that were made against them. Prime example being an allegation made for ‘suspicious behaviour due to loitering’ where Draco Malfoy proved that he was just waiting for his lawyer by a café, compared to a St Mungo’s discharge sheet describing an attack using several jinxes multiple times with the more notable ones being the Stinging, Pimple and Oppugno causing Ms Malfoy to require medical attention for a number of days.

After sorting through everything he arranged all the complaints in chronological order and began to transfer the major details to his working notebook via a very useful copying charm Hermione invented, an interdepartmental memo flew onto his desk to notify him that Robards had arranged a meeting at Malfoy Manor in a couple of hours, at 2:30pm that day. So Harry spend those few hours poring over the various incident reports, piecing together a story of a mother and son who are harassed whenever they appear in public together, and he had no doubts that it had something to do with the fact their they are due to face the Wizengamot in a trial to determine if they were free from innocence. A trial in which Harry is to be brought forward as a witness, yet again.

His alarm charm chimed sweetly in his ear so he gathered his notebook, Quik-Notes Quill and his leather satchel, threw on his Auror robe and made his way to the Apperation room, where moments later he found himself just inside the main gate to the Malfoy Manor.

The Malfoy Manor. Still looming, white, and oppressive as Harry could remember from that night that he, Hermione, and Ron were dragged here by the Snatchers to be interrogated. It was also here, he noted wryly, that Draco kept his identity secret from Bellatrix. A sharp rap on the heavy oak door was responded to by a portly house-elf, dressed in a crisp white shirt and pressed black trouser pants.

“Good Afternoon Auror Potter” the house-elf chirped, showing Harry inside and taking his heavy outer robe. “Madame Malfoy is expecting you in the drawing room.”

The interior of Malfoy Manor was still the same grey green colour scheme as Harry remembered, although he could see signs of disarray in the dust accumulated in the high corners of the foyer, the fraying edges of the rug, and the dull sheen on the unpolished marble busts that lined the far wall. The drawing room itself was well kept with a warm fire crackling away in a polished wrought iron and marble fireplace, with several comfy chairs placed facing an ornate wooden coffee table.

“Auror Potter, Madame” the house-elf announced, and with a click of her fingers a silver tea tray appeared on the coffee table.

“Thank you, Pepper” the soft spoken dismissal came from Mrs Malfoy, who was sat on one of the larger loveseats in a simple but elegant sleeveless black dress, her hair pinned up so it was away from her face but flowed down her back. “Auror Potter, would you care for some tea?”

Harry nodded, and sat himself opposite the woman, accepting the offered tea cup with a smile. “How is your recovery going?”

Mrs Malfoy waved a hand airily, although Harry could see the way her jaw tightened at the movement. “Very well, thank you. I assume you’re here over the reports that have been filed?”

Harry pulled out the envelope. “Yes, and thank you for agreeing to meet on such a short notice. I’d like to go ov-“

“Sorry I’m late Mother, Daring too forever… Oh, Potter.” Draco burst through the door and pulled up short with a surprised look on his face as he noticed Harry sitting on the couch.

“Mr Malfoy. Glad you could join us” Harry stood up easily and held out his hand, the irony of a similar situation flashing through the back of his mind. Malfoy took his hand and shook firmly, before moving to the loveseat beside his mother to fix himself a cup of tea.

“I take it that this isn’t a social call”

“Official business I’m afraid. I was assigned your case after the recent incident involving Mrs Malfoy and her, uh, hospitalisation. St Mungo’s reached out to us specifically to investigate further as they believe charges can be pressed should you wish.” Harry pulled out his notebook and his Quik-Notes Quill and waved his wand so it started floating just beside him, to which Malfoy scoffed.

“I seem to remember that was the weapon of choice for a certain beetle of a reporter.”

Harry laughed. “Yes, well, this one isn’t sickly green and the one your referring to had.. unfortunately, accidentally combusted as I recall.” Harry gave Malfoy a somewhat pointed look. Malfoy only shrugged.

“Yes, and unfortunate accident” he replied loftily, before taking a sip of his tea. He nodded towards the linen envelope. “Shall we get on with business then?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely undedited at 12am, enjoy.

They spent the next few hours combing meticulously working through every incident report, the Quik Notes Quill dutifully taking down every note with lighting speed until they had assessed every case together. Several trays of tea and a platter of handcrafted sandwich triangles from Pepper later, Harry called it a day, gathering up his bits and pieces and tucked them away into his satchel.

“So Mr Potter” Mrs Malfoy began, waving a hand over the teapot which started steaming again.

“Harry, please”

“Harry, how are you keeping?”

Harry internally was surprised that Mrs Malfoy seemed to want to carry on a friendly conversation outside of work. They hadn’t spoken more than two words to each other since Lucius Malfoy’s trial, and even then, they hardly crossed paths.

“I’m keeping as well as I can be” he replied, a little more truthfully than he was with most people, feeling oddly at ease with the pair. “The Daily Prophet is still trying its hardest to engulf me in another scandal”

“Must be hard” Malfoy piped up, sneering slightly over the lip of his cup. “The Savour of the Wizarding World, full of parties and social mingling with those of the highest order.”

He could see the downturn in Mrs Malfoy’s mouth but he only smiled back instead. “Come now Malfoy, you know how I detest those events. Besides, I try to stay out of the papers regardless.”

The trio talked about trivial matters for another half hour or so before Harry excused himself from the company of Mrs Malfoy, wanting to get back to the office to drop off his notes before going home. Malfoy elected to accompany him to the door after kissing his mother on the cheek. Harry was surprised when Malfoy put on his outer robe beside him, throwing his trademark smirk.

“Didn’t anyone teach you its rude to stare Potter?”

Harry didn’t have a retort to he resorted to hitting him lightly with his satchel. “Malfoy, I didn’t realise I needed an escort to the Ministry, you’re too kind.”

“Yes well” Draco sniffed, stepping through the door that Harry opened “Someone has to protect you from evil reporters.”

Harry followed him onto the white stone staircase that gleamed in the afternoon sun. “Wouldn’t that be an article in and of itself eh?”

Harry marvelled internally at how he and Malfoy were walking calmly, side by side, to the Apperation point just on the other side of the wrought iron gate, almost as if they were friends. Hermione was right. They had grown up, fought in a war, loved, lost, hurt, and grieved. He would always reflect on the courage it took for Draco to turn against Voldemort at the final battle, to turn away from what he thought was his family and run towards Neville. He will never forget how Malfoy threw Harry a wand when he was running for cover. It was as he mulled over these events that he turned to Malfoy.

“You know Malfoy, I was thinking..”

“Oh god forbid” Malfoy drawled, pulling open the iron gate and ushered Harry though, mumbling a quick charm as he shut it again.

“If you’re not terribly busy this evening, perhaps you could grace me with your presence at The Anchor and Castle? It’s a muggle establishment not far from King’s Cross.” Harry over-exaggerated posh accent caused Malfoy to roll his eyes with a wry smile.

“Jesus Potter, alright, if only to stop you from using that outrageous voice. 6?”

Harry smiled and pulled his outer robe around him, nodding once in farewell as he Apperated back to the quiet chaos that is the Auror’s Office.

***

“Potter” Malfoy said by way of greeting as he made his way through the building crowd over to the table Harry managed to pinch earlier.

“Malfoy, get here ok?” He asked, taking a long sip of his beer.

“Yes Potter, I’m not incompetent” Malfoy said with a huff and turned to grab himself a drink and when he returned, he slung his outer jacket over the chair and sat facing Harry.

They both drank in silence for a while, listening the cheers of a small muggle crowd gathered in front of a TV as their favoured football team scored another goal. It was an odd silence, slightly awkward yet not uncomfortable. Both seemed to be waiting for the other to make the first move.

“How have you been Malfoy?” Harry started, setting his almost empty pint glass on the table and fiddled with the cuff of his shirt.

“I’ve been as well as I can be I suppose” Malfoy seemed to say somewhat cautiously, a wary eye on Harry as he finished the rest of his own beer. “I took a few classes at the new training college the Ministry set up”

“Ah yes, Hermione’s brain-child. How were your studies?”

“Surprisingly enjoyable. Quite ingenious of Granger to develop that, I recognised quite a few names on the register from school. The O.W.L and N.E.W.T intensives are a good idea.”

Harry smiled. Hermione had pushed and pushed the Ministry to help make amends for lost education, mostly fighting an uphill battle until she managed to get Professor McGonagall to sign on in support of the act. She took the inspiration from Muggle training colleges; providing education after school to adults of all ages, whether it’s for those who missed out or for those who want to try something new. It was also important to Harry because he provided a substantial amount of money to help it get started, the first investor, until the government backed it and got it going properly.

“What did you study?”

“A few things. I retook the N.E.W.T.S I was supposed to take during the war, and I did a course on Alchemy. Quite interesting you know; I don’t know why Hogwarts didn’t make it a permanent subject.”

“I never had the brain for alchemy” Harry laughed, grabbing both of their empty glasses. “Hermione tried to explain it to me a few times, but it just went in one ear and out the other.”

“Like most things I presume” Malfoy quipped as Harry grabbed another round. “How’s the auror life? Full of excitement and daring adventures?”

Harry sat back and sipped his beer, sighing with a smile. “More like mountains of paperwork. There’s still a lot of clean-up to do. Voldemort’s influence spread wide and deep within the heart of the wizarding community so most of my work these days is clearing out these boltholes.”

He looked over to Malfoy, who had taken off his tie from their earlier meeting and left a few buttons open, chin propped up by his hand as he studied Harry behind narrow eyes, the other hand drawing patterns though the condensation of his own drink glass.

“I envy that you can say his name so casually” his tone was light, but his eyes betrayed and almost-jealous bite to his words. Harry shrugged.

“Dumbledore said that fear of the name heightens fear of the thing itself or something like that. I don’t remember but other than the time he Taboo-ed his name I saw no reason not to say it.”

“So Dumbledore raised you to oppose Voldemort from the beginning?” The jealous look was gone, replaced by an uneasy understanding.

“Pretty much. I may have idolised Dumbledore when I was younger but that man definitely had a long game he was playing and gambled a lot of people’s lives.

Malfoy’s brow furrowed as he sipped his beer slowly, eyes flicking up to Harry’s scar and back again. “Almost akin to raising an animal as a sacrifice to slaughter.”

“Yeah I mean that’s what my therapist said” he huffed, trailing off as Malfoy looked at him with an almost incredulous look.

“Harry Potter, the Golden Boy, is seeing a therapist? Wait until the Daily Prophet hears about this” Malfoy laughed, the grimaced at the panicked look on Harry’s face. “Alright Potter … Only joking…”

“Yeah well…” Harry said looking down at the half empty glass in his hand, tracing the rim with one finger. “I didn’t come out the other end of it all in one piece”

‘I don’t think anyone did” Malfoy said quietly, looking down at his own one. “I often wondered how you managed to keep it together. You and the rest of the ‘Golden Trio’.”

Harry laughed again dryly. “Therapy. Lots and lots of therapy. At least on my part.” He tapped a fingernail against Malfoy’s glass and tipped the bottom up. “That and drinking with friends.”

Malfoy chuckled and drank deeply. “You chose to see a Medi-Wizard trained in psychology?” he asked, wiping a foam moustache away as he kept the tone light-hearted

“God no” Harry laughed, leaning back in his chair again as he got more comfortable. “No I saw a Muggle psychologist. A Squib actually.” He explained as Malfoy’s eyebrows rose higher and higher.

“She is a Squib and mostly keeps to the Muggle community with an ear out on what happens in our world. It was nice to be able to decompress about everything that happened with an outside spectator.”

Internally, Harry marvelled at the fact that this conversation was even happening. Never in a million years he thought he’d be sitting in a pub talking about the war and his subsequent therapy with Malfoy. He really only talked about it at length with Ron and Hermione, and occasionally with the friends he kept in regular contact with that went through similar experiences but still. Maybe Hermione was right. Maybe it is time to right some wrongs and re-extend the hand of friendship between two people who have loved and lost everything in the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment! I love hearing your feedback and general comments. Leave a kudos while you're at it??

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies. Another story I'm working on when I get inspiration from it. Feel free to check out my other work in progress, The Space Between Us -- It is a Harry x Cedric but there is a smidge of Drarry in it for you all.


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